Excerpt from The Highlands and Western Isles of Scotland, Containing Descriptions of Their Scenery and Antiquities, Vol. 3 of 4: With an Account of the Political History and Present Condition On Briska, there is a tower which has been a strong hold Of the Mac Niels though small, it is striking, from the scarcity of objects Of art in this doleful country. We entered into conversation with some Old people, who attempted to amuse us with tales, probably more inter esting to them than to us. The ship that brought Prince ...
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Excerpt from The Highlands and Western Isles of Scotland, Containing Descriptions of Their Scenery and Antiquities, Vol. 3 of 4: With an Account of the Political History and Present Condition On Briska, there is a tower which has been a strong hold Of the Mac Niels though small, it is striking, from the scarcity of objects Of art in this doleful country. We entered into conversation with some Old people, who attempted to amuse us with tales, probably more inter esting to them than to us. The ship that brought Prince Charles from France, first anchored in this bar bour; and it was remembered with some feelings of hereditary pride, that he had landed on Briska, where he found some women roasting shell-fish on a fire in the Open air, and that he had partaken of their fare; thus com mencing the career of that popularity which, as it con tinned to the end, must have been as much the result Of good-nature as Of policy. The Opinion Of a few old women in this wild place, could have been Of as little value to him as that of the people in general'after his project was overthrown and he had become a proscribed fugitive. Political feelings and Opinions have however much changed on this subject, even within my memory. The few also who felt or inherited an attachment founded on family connexions, on ancient habits, or on imaginary national affections, have nearly vanished from the stage. If we yet meet a few persons in the remote Highlands who talk the talk of sixty years since, it is but the repetition of What they have heard and read sentiments which they have scarcely examined, and to which they attach no definite ideas. But enough of Briska and ancient politics. Of the numerous other islands of this bay I need take no notice: and I may now make a gene ral apology for the future omission Of hundreds which, though I have examined them, afford remarks for none but a geologist. Toland has given an absurd etymology for the name of Barra. It is evidently named after St. Bar, to whom the principal church is dedicated, and St. Bar was a bishop of Caithness; but it is imagined by the people, that some of the ecclesiastical buildings which remain here, if not all, were dedicated to St. Columba. It is impossible for me to decide a question of this nature between rival saints; but if you are anxious on the sub ject you may read the fifty-five folios Of the Bollandists where you will not find it. It is difficult to comprehend the nature Of this establishment; as there are four inde pendent buildings, collected, Or rather huddled together, within one enclosure bearing the traces Of a ditch outside; all of which appear to have been chapels. None Of them are large; and one is not much bigger than a good sized chest; being only six feet by ten. They are utterly deficient in style or ornament; and therefore, in an architectural view, quite uninteresting; unless; it may be thought otherwise, that the windows have inclined straight stones above, instead Of the Gothic arch. It is probable that some of them have been votive buildings as this was not an uncommon practice in the Islands, in the Roman Catholic ages. The burying ground con tained some ancient tombs and a heap Ofunburied sculls; proving that the superstitions of the elder times are not fashionable in Barra. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at ...
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